


Moonlight and Sugar Plum Fairies

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Holidays, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 17:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2437070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I let myself believe, I broke my own rules, and I fell hard.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moonlight and Sugar Plum Fairies

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the **Moonlight on the Potomac** prompt. Also written in  **Fate and Other Circumstances** universe, where Emily was with Jason before Hotch.

“This is perfect.” Emily said, snuggling closer to Hotch.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“It really is. I didn’t think it could get better but I was wrong.”

 

“To think you didn’t even want to come out tonight.” Hotch caressed the arm linked with his.

 

“You're not going to let me live that down, are you?”

 

“Nope.”

 

He laughed and so did Emily. They were strolling by the Potomac River. It was a beautiful night, Emily watched moonlight dance off the ripples of the water. Tonight was she and Hotch’s first date; strangely, Erin Strauss was to thank. The Section Chief gave Hotch two tickets to see the National Ballet perform George Balanchine’s Nutcracker. He immediately took them home to Emily, who was reluctant to go out.

 

There had not been much free time since she gave birth to Dante Jason in the middle of November. She and the baby were living with Hotch; with Jack on weekends, they were a real family. Emily didn’t think she was ready to leave her infant alone. Hotch was insistent though…he had it all worked out. Morgan and Garcia would baby sit and they would have a proper first date. Emily could only smile, it would be nice to dress up and get out of the house.

 

Hotch made reservations for an early dinner at Equinox before the show. The braised beef and baked potato were delicious after too long of whatever dinner they threw together. Emily didn’t have any wine since she fed Dante breast milk but it was still a wonderful time. The two of them talked, laughed, and held hands. They also held hands at the Kennedy Center. The seats were excellent and Emily didn’t know what made the tears fall down her cheeks.

 

“Hormones, I'm sure.” She whispered when Hotch turned to her with a concerned look.

 

“You're amazing.” he leaned to kiss her cheek.

 

She squeezed his hand, taking a deep breath and enjoying the rest of the performance. Afterwards Hotch took her to Starbucks for a Ginger Snap Latte.

 

“Mmm,” Emily closed her eyes as she sipped. She was on limited coffee intake as well. “This is absolutely perfect.”

 

“I know it’s been a while.”

 

“You, and all of it, were worth the wait. Thank you for tonight, Hotch.”

 

“You don’t have to thank me. Being with you…I just want to see you smile. There is more to come.”

 

“What?” Emily’s eyes widened. “Aaron, what did you do?”

 

“Nothing you don’t deserve. Relax and enjoy yourself.”

 

***

 

“I really thought I would have called home a million times by now.” Emily said.

 

“I am proud of you. Garcia sent me an update; the baby is sound asleep. She and Morgan are watching _The Grinch_. She said they got some great photos of him. Are you warm enough, baby?”

 

Hotch slid his arm around her, pulling her closer. Emily just smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder.

 

“I am actually all warm and fuzzy on the inside. This is the best Christmas present I've gotten in a while.”

 

“Well, Dante was a nice early Christmas present.” Hotch replied.

 

“Definitely. Hotch…?”

 

“Hmm?” he nuzzled in her hair.

 

“I never thought…there were times when it was so dark. This kind of happiness seemed a million miles away. It seemed improbable. Then Jason…”

 

“Jason what?”

 

“I fought hard but I lost. I let myself believe things, I broke my own rules, and I fell hard. I'm still finding bruises and scars in the strangest places.”

 

“I understand; believe me. C’mere,” he gently pulled her toward a bench. “Let’s sit down for a minute.”

 

“OK.” she nodded.

 

It started to snow, Emily held out her glove to catch the flurries.

 

“I don’t want to keep you out too long, its getting colder. I just wanted to bring you here because I know the Potomac is your favorite place…in DC anyway.”

 

“Yes.” Emily smiled. “It’s beautiful tonight; the lights of Christmas can always lift my spirits. I don’t think I've ever had a first date that went this well.”

 

Hotch slipped his gloves off, taking her face in his hands. His kiss was tender but passionate.

 

“I love you so much.” He whispered before kissing her again.

 

“I love you too. You are so damn wonderful. I want to thank you for the way you’ve opened your heart and your life for Dante and I. It’s more than that though.”

 

“I know.” Hotch nodded. “Em?”

 

“Yes?” she sighed as his lips teased hers.

 

“Will you marry me? Will you let me spend the rest of my life loving you? Everything else be damned. We will make it all work but I don’t want to live without you anymore.”

 

“Strauss is going to lose it when she finds out you used her ballet tickets for the ultimate form of fraternization, SSA Hotchner.”

 

Emily laughed. It was not quite the ultimate act; that would certainly come later. There were still a few weeks to heal before she could think of anything beyond second base. Not that Hotch wasn’t damn good at stealing bases. She was a very content woman.

 

‘To hell with her.” Hotch replied.

 

“Ask me again.”

 

“Emily Katherine Prentiss, will you marry me?” he reached into his pocket and came out with the ring. 

 

“Yes.”

 

Pulling off her glove, he slid the two-carat diamond on her finger. Emily looked at it and started to cry. Hotch kissed her, wiping the tears.

 

“We’re going to be happy. We are going to cross hurdles together. We are going to raise our boys.”

 

“I want you to be Dante’s father. I feel guilt saying that, but…”

 

“I will take care of him and his mother because I love them both with my whole heart. The past is the past; our life together starts right here on this bench.”

 

“That’s good enough for me, Aaron Hotchner.”

 

She threw her arms around him and Hotch held her tight. He was never going to have to let her go again. There were still things he wondered about, even worried about, but he never doubted Emily’s feelings for him. Her love knew no bounds and for the first time in longer than he cared to remember, Hotch felt right about something. Loving her would never be anything short of heavenly for him.

 

“Let’s go home, baby.”

 

“Yeah. I want to hold our son, I miss him.”

 

“Me too.” Hotch smiled. “We did well tonight.”

 

Emily nodded, holding his hand and letting him pull her up and into his arms. He kissed her once more before going out to Potomac Parkway to hail a cab.

 

***

                                                      

                                                                                                   


End file.
